Book Review of The Song of the Swan by Karah Sutton

About the Book

Title: The Song of the Swan

Author: 
• Karah Sutton

Published: 2023

Genres: 
• Fantasy
• Middle Grade

Swoonworthy Scale: 1

Voices: 
• Cis Girl
• Russian

Cover Story: Fairy Tale
BFF Charm: Caution
Talky Talk: What Do You Say, Little Ones?
Bonus Factors: Fairy Tale Retellings, Magic Systems, Loyal Pets
Anti-Bonus Factor: Dan Scott Award for Awful Parenting
Relationship Status: Well Woven

Cover Story: Fairy Tale

Our main characters are on a quest, being watched by an uncanny-looking swan, with a magical castle looming in the background. Pavel is playing music and Olga is watching out for trouble, just like they’re described.

The Deal:

In this retelling of the Eastern European folk tale Swan Lake, made famous by Tchaikovsky’s ballet, nothing is what it appears to be. Peddler Bulgukov, his apprentice Olga and their bodyguard Pavel earn a living by using illusion magic to trick their customers. Olga is tired of this life, but it’s all she knows. When she hears about a priceless jewel hidden in an abandoned castle, she jumps at the chance to leave her master and steal the jewel for herself. Pavel comes along to protect her, but neither of them is prepared for what they find. The magic of Castle Sokolov and its mysterious owner, the Baron, makes Olga’s illusions look like child’s play. Can she unravel all the enchantments and find the jewel – and if she finds it, is it really what she’s looking for?

BFF Charm: Caution

Olga has been raised by a greedy con man who taught her that she’s only worth the money she brings in. As a result, she’s more cynical as a pre-teen than I am in my thirties. She doesn’t know how to trust anyone, which means she can’t be trusted either. I feel sorry for her, but also for Pavel, a kind and loyal friend who deserves better than the way she sometimes treats him.

Swoonworthy Scale: 1

Since this is a children’s story, there’s a lot less swoon than in the ballet version, and no love triangle either. Pavel is like a brother to Olga; when he falls in love with an idealistic young girl named Anna, she reacts with the jealousy of a little sister, too young to understand romance and afraid of being left behind. 

Talky Talk: What Do You Say, Little Ones?

Olga’s chapters are told in third person. The first-person narrator is Mokosh, an ancient Slavic spider goddess, telling the story in the style of a wise (and slightly uncanny) grandmother. Her chapters always end with a rhetorical question for her listeners, challenging us to think about what we’ve just read.

Bonus Factor: Fairy Tale Retellings

I loved the 1994 Swan Princess movie as a little girl, and I’ve watched/read every version of Swan Lake I could find. This one is refreshingly original, but still honors its inspiration. I enjoyed the Russian folklore elements, like Mokosh.

Bonus Factor: Magic Systems

In this world, the spider goddess granted magic to humans by giving them strands of her silk,  known as “heartstrings”. Olga needs to learn to draw magic from “a full heart”, which means the more open she is to caring for others, the stronger she will be. The original story has powerful themes of commitment and loyalty, so the image of heartstrings keeping people connected makes perfect sense.

Bonus Factor: Loyal Pets

Olga’s friend Pauk, a talking spider sent by the goddess to help her, is surprisingly cute – at least I thought so. If you don’t like spiders, I recommend you avoid this book. 

Anti-Bonus Factor: Dan Scott Award for Awful Parenting

Olga’s master, Bulgukov, is decidedly a Dan Scott in the early chapters before she leaves him. If you know the original story, though, you’ll know there’s an even worse parental figure involved.

Relationship Status: Well Woven

The disparate threads that went into this story come together as a shimmering web. Like her spiders, Karah Sutton is an artist worth watching.

FTC Full Disclosure: I received no compensation for this review. Song of the Swan is available now.